PNM senator wants PM, AG to explain what happened in Debe

Opposition Senator Faris Al-Rawi on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar and Attorney General Anand Ramlogan to clear the air on what happened when police and soldiers tore down a protest camp in Debe.

Members of the Highway Re-route Movement had set up a camp to block construction of a section of the highway to Point Fortin. Their action was deemed illiegal and law enforcement personnel moved in Wednesday morning abd demolished the camp.

Al-Rawi said both Persad-Bissessar and Ramlogan owe the country an explanation. "The Attorney General, as the titular head of the bar, cannot remain silent," the senator said.

He added, "He has got to come out and say what the law is, to come out and make heavy pronouncements on this matter. The Prime Minister has also got to become involved and she must not remain silent

“Everyone wants to get rid of crime, but no one can ever support the breaching of the law to get there, and the integrity of the law must be jealously guarded at all times.” 

Al-Rawi said the new national security minister has placed himself in “grave jeopardy” by being present when the officers moved in.

“This is a ground for serious action and it makes the police, army and even the minister immediately subject to being sued,” he stated. He also expressed concern that people were not afforded due process. “If we don’t carefully guard the separation-of-powers principle and uphold the due process of law, then the country is headed into a totalitarian police state."